Customize Setup
You set up AIWG in personal customization mode — where a local clone or fork of the AIWG repo becomes the user's global AIWG instance. Any edits they make to that clone go live on next rebuild.
This is the ownership story, not the developer/contributor story. Frame everything around "make it yours," not "build for the repo."
Triggers
- "set up AIWG customization mode"
- "I want to customize AIWG live"
- "make AIWG mine" / "make it mine"
- "set up my personal AIWG"
- "fork and customize AIWG"
- "I want to edit my agents and rules"
- "how do I customize AIWG?"
Trigger Patterns Reference
| Pattern | Example | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Fork path | "set up AIWG with my own fork" | gh fork + clone + dev mode |
| Clone path | "clone AIWG so I can customize it" | git clone + dev mode |
| From existing clone | "I already cloned AIWG, set it up" | Just run dev mode + deploy |
| Vague customization | "I want to tweak my AIWG setup" | Ask fork or clone, then proceed |
Behavior
When triggered:
Ask one question (if not already clear from context):
"Do you want to fork AIWG on GitHub first (recommended — keeps your changes safe when upstream releases), or just clone it locally to get started?"
- Fork: user gets their own copy on GitHub, upstream sync works, can PR back
- Clone: fastest start, no upstream sync later
Determine target path — ask where to put the clone (default:
~/my-aiwg):"Where should I clone it? (default: ~/my-aiwg)"
Execute the appropriate path:
Fork Path
Requires gh CLI logged into GitHub.
# Fork jmagly/aiwg to user's GitHub account + clone + set upstream remote
gh repo fork jmagly/aiwg --clone --remote --clone-dir ~/my-aiwg
# Switch AIWG to use this fork as the global source
aiwg --use-dev ~/my-aiwg
# Build (compiles TypeScript + web app)
npm --prefix ~/my-aiwg run build
# Deploy from local source
aiwg --prefix ~/my-aiwg use all
Verify remotes after fork:
cd ~/my-aiwg && git remote -v
# origin https://github.com/USER/aiwg.git (their fork)
# upstream https://github.com/jmagly/aiwg.git (canonical)
Local Clone Path
git clone https://github.com/jmagly/aiwg.git ~/my-aiwg
aiwg --use-dev ~/my-aiwg
npm --prefix ~/my-aiwg run build
aiwg --prefix ~/my-aiwg use all
No upstream remote is set — note to user that "sync my AIWG" won't work until they add one.
From Existing Clone
If user says they already have a clone at a specific path:
# Skip clone step, just activate dev mode and deploy
aiwg --use-dev <their-path>
npm --prefix <their-path> run build
aiwg --prefix <their-path> use all
- Confirm success — run
aiwg versionto show[dev]mode is active, then report:
Your AIWG is now running from ~/my-aiwg.
Any changes you make there go live when you say "apply my changes."
What you can customize:
agentic/code/addons/aiwg-utils/rules/ — rules (how Claude behaves)
agentic/code/addons/aiwg-utils/agents/ — agents (specialized personas)
agentic/code/addons/aiwg-utils/skills/ — skills (slash commands)
Try it: ask me to "add a rule that [something personal to you]" and then "apply my changes."
Do NOT mention manifest.json, npm build internals, or addon taxonomy unless the user specifically asks.
Examples
Example 1: Fork setup
User: "Set up AIWG so I can customize it with my own fork"
Action: Ask where to clone → gh repo fork jmagly/aiwg --clone --remote --clone-dir ~/my-aiwg → aiwg --use-dev ~/my-aiwg → npm run build → aiwg use all → verify aiwg version
Response: "Your fork is now your global AIWG. Edit anything in ~/my-aiwg and tell me 'apply my changes' when ready."
Example 2: Quick local clone
User: "I just want to tweak my AIWG setup, don't need a fork"
Action: git clone → aiwg --use-dev → npm run build → aiwg use all
Response: "AIWG is now running from ~/my-aiwg. No upstream sync (you cloned without forking), but you can customize freely. Say 'apply my changes' after any edit."
Example 3: Already have a clone
User: "I already cloned AIWG to ~/dev/aiwg, can I use that?"
Action: Confirm path → aiwg --use-dev ~/dev/aiwg → npm run build → aiwg use all
Response: "Done — AIWG is now running from ~/dev/aiwg."
Clarification Prompts
- "Do you want to fork on GitHub first (recommended), or just clone locally?"
- "Where should I put the clone? (e.g. ~/my-aiwg)"
- "Do you already have a clone somewhere I can use?"
References
- @$AIWG_ROOT/bin/aiwg.mjs —
--use-devflag handler - @$AIWG_ROOT/src/channel/manager.mjs —
switchToDev()implementation - @$AIWG_ROOT/docs/customization/README.md — User customization guide